Capsicum annuum PLANT NAMED &#39;SLP2B378&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Capsicum annuum  plant named ‘SLP2B378’ distinguished by its combination of seedless fruits, yellow mature fruit color, and ability to set fruit under relatively hot conditions.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This plant patent application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/121,134 filed Aug. 5, 2014, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(f) from Netherlands Plant Breeders' Rights application No. PPS1545, filed May 23, 2014, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Capsicum annuum.

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘SLP2B378’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Capsicum annuum, designated ‘SLP2B378’.

The new C. annuum ‘SLP2B378’ was discovered and selected as a single plant in Gedera, Israel in 2011, from the progeny of a cross between SC09-F4-33-b as the female parent (not patented) and AJ06-F3-378-19 as the male parent (not patented).

The new cultivar was first asexually propagated by root cuttings in Bet Dagan, Israel in February, 2011 and has been asexually propagated since that time by cutting and rooting in Gedera, Israel and Almeria, Spain. The distinctive characteristics of this new C. annuum are stable and reproduce true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

“SLP2B378” is a distinctive variety of C. annuum characterized by the following traits, which have been repeatedly observed and in combination distinguish ‘SLP2B378’ as a new and distinct C. annuum cultivar:

1. Seedless fruits

2. Yellow mature fruit color

3. Ability to set fruit under relatively hot conditions (e.g., 30° C. to 35° C. during the day and 25° C. to 30° C. at night).

Essentially all of the fruits of cultivar ‘SLP2B378’ are completely seedless. However, in cases where ‘SLP2B378’ has been grown in the vicinity of a fertile variety, there are occasional fruits with seeds due to cross-pollination by insects transferring pollen from the fertile variety to ‘SLP2B378’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical characteristics of the new cultivar.

FIG. 1 shows mature fruits of cultivar ‘SLP2B378’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinct variety of C. annuum known as ‘SLP2B378’. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or younger plants. Further, ‘SLP2B378’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental and cultural conditions.

‘SLP2B378’ is able to set fruit throughout the year when grown in a plastic greenhouse in the northern Negev region of Israel, including under cold (December to February) and hot (September) temperatures.

A technical description of the variety is provided below in Table 1 based upon observations of 5-month-old plants grown under greenhouse conditions in Gedera, Israel during the Fall-Winter season.

TABLE 1 Characteristic Value Short technical description Bush-type plant, short -medium internodes, produces seedless fruit, good ability to set in relatively hot conditions Method of reproduction Vegetatively propagated Plant: length of stem Short-medium Plant: shortened internodes (in Absent (indeterminant) upper part) Plant: number of internodes between None 1st flower and shortened internodes (Varieties with shortened internodes only) Plant: length of internodes (on primary Short-medium side shoots) (varieties without shortened internodes) Plant: anthocyanin coloration of nodes Present Stem: Intensity of anthocyanin Medium-strong coloration of nodes Stem: hairiness of nodes Weak Plant: vigor Strong Plant: height Compact-medium Leaf: length of blade Medium-long Leaf: intensity of green colour Dark Leaf: shape Ovate Leaf: blistering Weak Leaf: profile in cross section Flat Leaf: glossiness Weak medium Leaf: Undulation of margin Light Leaf: width of blade Medium Flower: anthocyanin coloration Absent in anther Peduncle: attitude Semi-drooping Time of beginning of flowering (1st Very early-early flower on 2nd flowering node) Fruit: colour (before maturity) Green Fruit: intensity of colour Medium (before maturity) Fruit: anthocyanin coloration Absent (before maturity) Fruit: general impression Conical Fruit: attitude Drooping Fruit: length Short-medium Fruit: diameter Small Fruit: ratio length-diameter Big Fruit: shape in longitudinal section Triangular Fruit: shape in cross section (at level Circular of placenta) Fruit: sinuation of pericarp at basal part Very weak Fruit: sinuation of pericarp excluding Absent or very weak basal part Fruit: texture of surface Smooth or very slightly wrinkled Fruit: colour (at maturity) Yellow Fruit: intensity of colour (at maturity) Medium Fruit: glossiness Medium Fruit: stalk cavity Absent Fruit: depth of stalk cavity Very shallow Fruit: shape of apex (PBR) Very acute Fruit: depth of interloculary grooves Very shallow Fruit: number of locules Predominantly two Fruit: length (cm) 9 Fruit: diameter (cm) 2 Fruit: thickness of flesh Thin Stalk: length Long Stalk: thickness Thin Fruit: capsaicin in placenta Absent Calyx: aspect Non enveloping Seed Absent Time of maturity Medium Ripening can be compared with: Kappy Potato Virus Y pathotype 0 Susceptible Potato Virus Y pathotype 1 Unknown Potato Virus Y pathotype 2 Unknown Tobamovirus pathotype P0 Highly resistant Tobamovirus pathotype P0, P1 Susceptible Tobamovirus pathotype P0, P1, P1-2 Susceptible Tobamovirus pathotype P0, P1, Susceptible P1-2, P1-2-3 Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Susceptible

Further features and characteristics of cultivar ‘SLP2B378’ are apparent from FIG. 1.

Comparisons with other C. annuum cultivars.

‘SLP2B378’ is most similar to commercial C. annuum cultivar ‘SLP2B131’, which is also a seedless variety. As shown in Table 2, ‘SLP2B378’ can be distinguished from cultivar ‘SLP2B131’ at least with respect to mature fruit colour and season for fruit setting.

TABLE 2 SLP2B378 has in comparison with: CHARACTERISTIC DENOM- IN WHICH THE STATE OF INATION COMPARISON EXPRESSION STATE OF OF COM- VARIETY IS OF COM- EXPRESSION PARISON DIFFERENT FROM PARISON OF VARIETY SLP2B378 VARIETY SLB2B378 SLP2B131 Mature fruit intensity Dark red Yellow SLP2B131 Fruit setting season Late (moderate Early (Can set even temperatures in high needed for good temperatures) set) 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Capsicum annuum plant named ‘SLP2B378’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 